Medicaid Expansions and Poverty

Comparing Supplemental and Health-Inclusive Poverty Measures

Bibliographic Data

ID10540002
AuthorsSanders Korenman (City University of New York, corresponding author), Dahlia K Remler (0000-0002-9661-2460, City University of New York), Rosemary Hyson (City University of New York), Rosemary T Hyson
Year2019
Volume93
Issue3
Pages429-483
Publication date2019-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Service Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0037-7961 • E-ISSN: 1537-5404
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/705319
OpenAlexW2982074019
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited26

We estimate relationships between Medicaid expansions and poverty, using the Census Bureau’s supplemental poverty measure (SPM) and a recently developed health-inclusive poverty measure (HIPM). The HIPM modifies the SPM by adding a need for health insurance to the SPM poverty threshold and by adding a family’s health insurance benefits to family resources. Results from logistic regressions that control for sociodemographic characteristics, income, and benefits other than health insurance show that the (adjusted) HIPM poverty rate is 1.7 percentage points (10 percent) lower in expansion than in nonexpansion states, and the HIPM deep poverty rate is 0.9 percentage points (13 percent) lower. Differences in SPM poverty rates are generally small and insignificant. Medicaid expansion is associated with substantial HIPM poverty reductions for children, persons 55–64 years old, blacks, Hispanics, and those who have not completed high school. These populations are particularly vulnerable to proposed rollbacks in Medicaid expansions

Census · Demographic economics · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Health care · Health insurance · Medicaid · Population · Poverty · Poverty level · Poverty threshold · Sociology · Demography · Global Health Care Issues · Health disparities and outcomes · Healthcare Policy and Management · Medicine